--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've turned down a lot of trades where I…" description: "\"I've turned down a lot of trades where I might have gotten a better player, but I wasn't totally sure of the chemistry of that new player coming in. Ev..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/red-auerbach-14429_ability_i-ve-turned-down-a-lot-of-trades-where-i_99972.jpg" --- # I've turned down a lot of trades where I might have gotten… ![“I've turned down a lot of trades where I might have gotten a better player, but I wasn't totally sure of the chemistry of that new player coming in. Even though he might possess golden ability, his personality and the way he gets along with teammates might be things you just don't want to cope with.” quote by Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/red-auerbach-14429_ability_i-ve-turned-down-a-lot-of-trades-where-i_99972.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/red-auerbach-14429_ability_i-ve-turned-down-a-lot-of-trades-where-i_99972.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/316/red-auerbach-14429_ability_i-ve-turned-down-a-lot-of-trades-where-i_99972.jpg) > “I've turned down a lot of trades where I might have gotten a better player, but I wasn't totally sure of the chemistry of that new player coming in. Even though he might possess golden ability, his personality and the way he gets along with teammates might be things you just don't want to cope with.” [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Team chemistry can outweigh raw talent; a player’s fit with the group determines overall success. **In simple terms:** Fit matters more than skill. Key Takeaway Cohesion beats individual ability. Themes teamwork leadership culture Mood pragmatic reflective Type advice When to use this quote - building a startup team - drafting sports players - forming project groups Key Concepts organizational behavior Practical Applications - conduct personality assessments - facilitate early bonding activities Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance skill vs. fit? - When should you prioritize talent over chemistry? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on chemistry may cause missed opportunities for exceptional talent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Chemistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chemistry/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [Personality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personality/) [Teammate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teammate/) [Trade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trade/) [Trades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trades/) ## Related quotes > [He credited his teammates, who he thanked in turn, with challenging him every day and driving him forward and making him a better player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-curry/he-credited-his-teammates-who-he-thanked-in-turn-with-challenging-him/) [Stephen Curry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-curry/) > [Ornette Coleman wasn't sure whether he was going to continue with Charlie Haden-Charlie had some personal problems. I said "You've got to be kidding!…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/ornette-coleman-wasn-t-sure-whether-he-was-going-to-continue-with/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [I'd say handling people is the most important thing you can do as a coach. I've found every time I've gotten into trouble with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-holtz/i-d-say-handling-people-is-the-most-important-thing-you-can-do-as-a/) [Lou Holtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-holtz/) > [My last four years in Orlando, I was a really good player but I wasn't a full-time starter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-j-redick/my-last-four-years-in-orlando-i-was-a-really-good-player-but-i-wasn-t/) [J. J. Redick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-j-redick/) > [But I still think it's part of the skill of being a coach or manager - to know who responds to what. And some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-carrick/but-i-still-think-it-s-part-of-the-skill-of-being-a-coach-or-manager/) [Michael Carrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-carrick/) > [Kevin Garnett was a great player, but he wasn't Kobe Bryant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-west/kevin-garnett-was-a-great-player-but-he-wasn-t-kobe-bryant/) [Jerry West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-west/) > [I was a tough player, but I wasn't the most talented player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-mcdermott/i-was-a-tough-player-but-i-wasn-t-the-most-talented-player/) [Sean McDermott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-mcdermott/) > [I wanted to be a great player, and I wasn't. I never got over that. I take that same energy into coaching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tomlin/i-wanted-to-be-a-great-player-and-i-wasn-t-i-never-got-over-that-i/) [Mike Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tomlin/) > [Ninety percent of my best friends back home are plumbers, electricians, builders, or landscapers. Most of our dads worked in trades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-hemsworth/ninety-percent-of-my-best-friends-back-home-are-plumbers-electricians/) [Liam Hemsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-hemsworth/) > [Two of the most difficult parts of our business is trades and when a player leaves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/two-of-the-most-difficult-parts-of-our-business-is-trades-and-when-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [Our regulatory bodies strive to create honest dealings, fair trades, and a situation in which no one has an advantage over anyone else. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/our-regulatory-bodies-strive-to-create-honest-dealings-fair-trades/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [“Jack of all trades, master of none”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geffray-mynshul/jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none/) Geffray Mynshul > [Midseason trades are hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kyle-korver/midseason-trades-are-hard/) [Kyle Korver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kyle-korver/) > [I think if you have ability and talent in one way, you have it in all ways. I'm not a jack of all trades;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evel-knievel/i-think-if-you-have-ability-and-talent-in-one-way-you-have-it-in-all/) [Evel Knievel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evel-knievel/) > [Art, unlike the trades in the artistic capacity of fashion and food, can literally be anything. It can be the negation of itself and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-phillips/art-unlike-the-trades-in-the-artistic-capacity-of-fashion-and-food/) [Richard Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-phillips/) ## More by Red Auerbach > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [The best way to forget ones self is to look at the world with attention and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/the-best-way-to-forget-ones-self-is-to-look-at-the-world-with/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [“Who could better motivate Bill Russell than Bill Russell?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/who-could-better-motivate-bill-russell-than-bill-russell/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Many, many times, the kids with the less talent become the better athletes because they're more dedicated to achieving their full potential.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/many-many-times-the-kids-with-the-less-talent-become-the-better/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Just do what you do best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/just-do-what-you-do-best/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Take pride in what you do. The kind of pride I'm talking about is not the arrogant puffed-up kind; it's just the whole idea…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/take-pride-in-what-you-do-the-kind-of-pride-i-m-talking-about-is-not/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Everyone is born with a certain potential. You may never achieve your full potential, but how close you come depends on how much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/everyone-is-born-with-a-certain-potential-you-may-never-achieve-your/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [To a father, when a child dies, the future dies; to a child when a parent dies, the past dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/to-a-father-when-a-child-dies-the-future-dies-to-a-child-when-a/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [You see, in sports you have so many things that aren't expected. There's so much uncertainty. So when players find themselves in a situation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/you-see-in-sports-you-have-so-many-things-that-aren-t-expected-there/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [You don't win games as a coach during games. You win games as a coach before games. Players win during games, not coaches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/you-don-t-win-games-as-a-coach-during-games-you-win-games-as-a-coach/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [When business is good it pays to advertise; when it is bad you have got to advertise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/when-business-is-good-it-pays-to-advertise-when-it-is-bad-you-have/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [The coach should be the absolute boss, but he still should maintain an open mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/the-coach-should-be-the-absolute-boss-but-he-still-should-maintain-an/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [You handle animals. You deal with people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/you-handle-animals-you-deal-with-people/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [It's not what you tell your players that counts. It's what they hear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/it-s-not-what-you-tell-your-players-that-counts-it-s-what-they-hear/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [If they think we've got an edge, we've got an edge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/if-they-think-we-ve-got-an-edge-we-ve-got-an-edge/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) [Explore all 46 Red Auerbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) ## More Ability quotes > [I don't think there's a direct correlation between my sexuality and my skiing ability. But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. If you want them in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cal-newport/the-importance-of-ability-the-things-that-make-a-great-job-great-i/) [Cal Newport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cal-newport/) > [Ambition drives you on, ability certainly helps, but the fickle finger of fate and luck are great things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fergus-henderson/ambition-drives-you-on-ability-certainly-helps-but-the-fickle-finger/) [Fergus Henderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fergus-henderson/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [Maybe law enforcement would like the ability to turn on the camera on your Mac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-cook/maybe-law-enforcement-would-like-the-ability-to-turn-on-the-camera-on/) [Tim Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-cook/) > [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/) [Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/) > [The youth of India has the strength to move the entire World with a click of a mouse, we have generated that ability!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/the-youth-of-india-has-the-strength-to-move-the-entire-world-with-a/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An absolutely necessary part of a writer's equipment, almost as necessary as talent, is the ability to stand up under punishment, both the punishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irwin-shaw/an-absolutely-necessary-part-of-a-writer-s-equipment-almost-as/) [Irwin Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irwin-shaw/) > [I'd be more frightened by not using whatever abilities I'd been given. I'd be more frightened by procrastination and laziness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denzel-washington/i-d-be-more-frightened-by-not-using-whatever-abilities-i-d-been-given/) [Denzel Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denzel-washington/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/) [Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/) > [You can only do the work to the very best of your ability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-baranski/you-can-only-do-the-work-to-the-very-best-of-your-ability/) [Christine Baranski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-baranski/) > [Judge a person not by his ability to make money but by his ability to retain it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/judge-a-person-not-by-his-ability-to-make-money-but-by-his-ability-to/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [Balance is the ability to be happy in the midst of the most chaotic or even boring or transient circumstance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/balance-is-the-ability-to-be-happy-in-the-midst-of-the-most-chaotic/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [Bobby had faith in my ability as a singer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-london/bobby-had-faith-in-my-ability-as-a-singer/) [Julie London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-london/) [Browse all 9,990 Ability quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've turned down a lot of trades where I might have gotten a better player, but I wasn't totally sure of the chemistry of that new player coming in. 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